Desert Sands
by Zamgi
Summary: Bulma Briefs, a brilliant yet suppressed young woman finding life in the Victorian era a stifling existence, discovers the chance of a lifetime when she learns of her late father had intended to travel to Egypt before his untimely death. Grasping at the o
1. Default Chapter

"Men! Will they never give up?" Bulma Briefs stormed through her dressing room to her bed chamber, slamming doors as she went. "Williams, you've been married before. Did your husband ever treat you like a simple minded child and only take what he wanted, never a thought about your feelings"

"Wasn't around much 'e wasn't mum. The old philanderer was 'talway visit'n them cheap ail houses wit' women dressed in scarves, drink'n me rag money." Bulma's rather grouchy house made was known near and far as the resident expert on the shortcomings of men, having been used abominable by one once.

"How did your husband die, if you don't mind me asking"

"Oh not t'tall mum. The old sleezer got his comeuppance when e' walked right out into an oncoming freight wagon. Got it good and 'ard 'e did. Right luvely mess that was."

"Was he drunk?"

"As drunk as Peter Bailey's mule after 'e got into old Flannigan's still last month."

"Are all men like that? Drunkards who's only goal in life is to marry a woman better off than they themselves, hopefully rich, and drink they're money away"

"The way I sees it mum is that there 're precious few men who still have honor in this day and age. Your father be'n one of them, God rest his soul." Mrs. Williams pulled back the top cover of Bulma's bed to inserting the wormer. On blustery November evenings such as this one, one took all precautions warding off the chill that could bring on consumption.

"I don't see why men can't just leave me alone! I'm not beautiful, I have almost no connections, and I'm not rich. Five hundred thousand pounds is not that much in this day and age. Hardly enough for a man bent on squandering it all in a week" raged Bulma, spearing a glowing log savagely with the fire poker.

"Half a million pounds is still a nice bit to them drunkards out there."

"Do you think there are men left that aren't squanderers out to get a woman's money"

"Sure there are! Them's the ones wit' di grand manners and big houses and charge they're tenants right into poverty."

"Tyrants. Philanderers and tyrants. Is that all I have to look forward to? Tight fists who horde both money and their hearts and squanderers who have neither"

"Your lucky though Miss, your father was a good man. And you ante so plain. A little skinny and pail but at least your not shaped like Mrs. Chapman is. Your rather pretty."

"William you are a saint. How could you call a woman with blue hair, scrawny all over except in the bust, and terribly pail pretty? It's bad enough that my hair has to be dyed black to be accepted by society, but being asking if I just got over a terrible illness because of my complexion is, well, I'm not a vain person but it can be galling at times."

"Your father, God rest his soul, thought you were enchanting."

Bulma's countenanced turned pensive. "My father lived in an idealistic past, hidden away in his study poring over archeological documents, ancient manuscripts, reading books, and comparing notes. We were so happy then." A tear, forbidden until then to fall, traced it's way down her white cheek. "Oh why was I not borne a man" she raged. "We could have gone so many places and seen countless wonders! But no. I am forever doomed to be chained in woman's form, forever chained to a society where perceived propriety dictates what is befitting of a woman of my station. I can see nothing but a lonely future of solitude for myself for who would love a woman who chafes under dictorial rule?" Bulma's subdued voice trailed off into silence and she looked out the window onto the dreary gray garden. It looked all so hopeless just then.

"Your father was planning a trip to Egypt this winter as the 'crowning achievement of his career' 'e said. Well 'e got a grand view of them pyramids 'e was 'lways talking about now where 'e is now."

"My father was going to go to Egypt!" Bulma nearly knocked her chair over as she sprang to her feet, her dejected mood forgotten. "Why have I never heard of this"

"I s'pose 'e meant it for a surprise for you Miss. He asked that it was kept a secret. Everything was set for the two 'o you to leave on the ninth of this month. All travel arrangements have been made. The only thing missing will by the travelers." Mrs. Williams was starting to wonder if telling her employer about her late father's plans had been such a good idea after she fell been silent and refused to speak for a few minutes. Suddenly Bulma sprang into action nearly sending her elderly maid into a fit of catalepsy.

As she started to redress into more suitable attire for going out she started giving her orders. "Williams have Ann come in an hour with her sewing basket and cloth swatches. Tell Markus to bring the traveling luggage down from the attic and Cook that I'll need..." Bulma scribbled a list of things down on a scrap of paper. "Here, take this to her. Tell Charles to bring the horses around at once. I am in such a rush." Having given her orders Bulma started down the haul set on a mission.

Mrs. Williams was so surprised that she stood stock still for a full thirty seconds before she threw age and propriety to the wind, hiked her skirts and took off in pursuit of her mistress catching up with her at the top of the landing. "Now hold on one minute there mum" she panted, slightly out of breath. "What are ye' do'n going out in this weather at this time of night. Tis not something for a respectable young woman like yourself to be do'n."

"Williams I am going out and I expect my orders to have been carried out by the time I get back." Bulma descended the stares and proceeded to order the carriage herself.

Fifteen minutes later found Bulma standing in the foyer of Mr. Tobin's home, awaiting the arrival of her late father's notary.

"Miss. Briefs! What on earth are you doing here? Is everything alright? There's not an emergence is there" Mr. Tobin's surprise and concern were soon laid to rest when Bulma came right to the point. She had always like the stout man and respected him greatly.

"Mr. Tobin I would like to go over the maters of the trip my father and I were to take to Egypt come this Tuesday. I intend to go ahead with the plan and leave for London tomorrow night would like to withdraw a sizable amount of money for the journey."

"I can already tell that there will be no dissuading you from this undertaking but please reconsider the haste in which you plan. You do not have time enough to pull together your resources."

"Mr. Tobin, my father left everything in readiness and I will no delay my departure for the sake of mere details such as which gown to take. I will be leaving immediately."

"Who are you to take as companion? You can not take Mrs. Williams. She is far to old and the natives would be offended by her rudeness and you can't very well go alone. It's just not done."

"Your niece is staying with you is she not? Might I not take her" "Really Miss. Briefs! She is not the sort of person that just takes off on a journey of this magnitude on a whim"

"Might we ask her? It seems to me that this would be just what she needs. To get away from the memory of that offal man that left her at the alter."

"If there was more time I would say yes but you are determined to rush off in hast."

"Let your niece decide. I can almost grantee that she'd love to come if asked."

"Ask me what" Bulma and Tobin turned to find Tobin's niece, Chi, standing in the open doorway.

"Hello Miss Kuro, we've met only once. I'm Bulma Briefs."

"I remember you Miss Briefs. What were you going to ask my uncle"

Mr. Tobin sighed in defeat. The facts be told he new his adventurous niece would jump at the prospect of visiting Egypt. "Miss. Briefs is taking a trip to Egypt and has requested you as a companion." Chi's face showed blank astonishment before turning to hopeful eagerness.

"Is that true?" she asked Bulma breathlessly for she dared not even breath for hope that it was indeed true.

"Yes it is. I am in need of a companion and you are in need of a diversion. I think we will suite each other perfectly."

"I would like to if I could" said Chi, looking longingly at her uncle. Finally the older man caved and nodded his consent and she nearly swooned with relief. "Then it's settled. We will leave tomorrow for London." Announced Bulma, quite satisfied and having won.

"So soon"

"It is unavoidable. We are to leave by steamer from there on Tuesday. Are you still willing to come"

"I can be ready by two o'clock tomorrow" replied Chi. There was no way she was going to allow an opportunity like this to slip from her grasp.

"Then I will leave you to get some sleep," Bulma excused herself, and returned to her own lonely house to spend a sleepless night putting her accommodations in order before her departure.


	2. Chapter Two

It was late evening and the sun was settling over the suburbs of London casting its long shadows along the ground in grotesque shapes as if they were the ghosts of creatures of ages past come to taunt those still living. A small carriage made its way through the streets drawn by an impressive team of Cleveland Bay's intent on making its way threw the old city. At present the owner of the carriage was outlining the travel planes that she and her companions would be adhering to on the first leg of their journey.

"...and after we board the ship tomorrow the journey will take approximately three days to arrive in Rome where we will be staying for two week. Mrs. Williams and Ann will be traveling as far as Rome, giving ample and sufficient time for Ann to finish the garments I've requested as well as see the sights. Ann will then travel back the England with Williams while Chi and I make our way to Egypt. The steamer we shale take from Rome stopping for only a few hours in Crete and then travel on to El Iskandarya, otherwise known as Alexandria. From there we shall travel up the Nile to" Bulma was interrupted by the coachmen announcing their arrival to the hotel as the carriage came to a halt. Bulma made a quick mental note to finish her narrative of the process in which their trip would be undertaken as soon as they were settled in their room before disembarking from the carriage.

The first thing Bulma did after arriving at their rooms was to summon a hotel attendant and hand him a list of things to be procured before they set out the next morning by ship. The young man assured Bulma that she would have her things in ample time to pack them before they departed the next morning and walked away a little puzzled as to what a woman of her status would want with the items on the list. Suddenly he paused, face flushed. Maybe it was better not to think about it. The attendant shoved the list into his pocket and hurried on his way.

An hour later a maid was clearing a table that had served as a dining room as Mrs. Williams unpacked Bulma's clothes and put them away. Bulma couldn't understand why on earth she would go through the hassle just to repack them in the morning but didn't question the old maid. Everyone needs something to do after all.

At the moment Ann was arranging her sewing, chatting away with Chi who was looking through the sketches of attire Ann was to make for Bulma. Having nothing to do at the moment Bulma joined the two young women by the fire and opened a book on Egyptian Hieroglyphics in an attempt to better acquaint her self with the ancient language. She was pulled from her study by an inquiry from her left. "Pardon, what was that Miss Kuro"

"Oh pleas call me Chi and I was asking why all your new clothes to be so plain? They're all so drab" commented Chi as she shuffled through several sketches depicting the dresses to be made.

"I am not a frivolous creature Miss Kuro, excuse me, Chi. I am, as you can see, quite plain in complexion and figure. Extravagant apparel would make me look absurd. You on the other hand would look quite fetching in such garments." Bulma observed the faint blush that graced her companion's cheeks with pleasure.

"Oh Bulma, you are not so plain as you think! True you are quite pail, but a few days in the warm Egyptian sun will remedy that quickly. With your hair styled different and a few frills you would be absolutely breathtaking! You have such beautiful eyes and pleasing features. Oh pleas, we'll be in Rome for two week, mightn't I design you a few dresses? Nothing extravagant, just tastefully feminine."

Bulma looked at Chi's face and noted for the first time how it expressed her excitement. Her eyes truly were a window to her soul.

Chi, interpreting the prolonged silence as consent, started consulting with Ann as to which styles would complement Bulma's features best.

"More like conspiring" thought Bulma as she watched her housemaid and new friend whispering back and forth. Suddenly she had a horrifying vision of being arrayed in bows and feathers, the experience nearly making her ill. "You will refrain from an over excess of embellishments, such as lace, bows, and especially plumes from deceased birds wont you"

"Of cores" Chi was almost indignant at the thought. "The dresses I design will be the absolute picture of taste."

"Then I will trust your judgment in this matter. You seem sensible enough. Now I think it would be best if we all retired for the night, as tomorrow will be busy for the most part and we all need our rest. Williams I think the buttons on this dress would appreciate a second set of hands." Mrs. Williams hastened to assist in the undoing of the numerous buttons in an attempt to stave off another button catastrophe.

Chi retired to her room after helping Ann store her sewing things. As dressed herself in a warm night gown she felt a mixture of excitement and disbelief at the prospects of their actually setting out on the marrow for the land of the Pharaoh's. In the next room over Bulma to was experiencing similar feelings. Who knew what tomorrow would bring?


End file.
